Remembrance

When the anniversary of today was approaching, a lot of people started questioning the need for the usual 9/11 remembrance ceremonies. Writers in Time and The New York Times asked, when will it be enough? How much longer will all 2,000 names be read, speeches be given? Is it healthy to still mourn this way, or are these ceremonies putting a halt to the families finally being able to "get over it"?

The reason I put "get over it" in quotes is because, for those families, they will never get over it. Surely, they have gone back to work, back to school, but who can ever get over such a loss? Of course, some day these ceremonies will stop, and people will stop gathering, because time will set in and generations will grow up and pass on. How many people still hold moments of silence for Pearl Harbor? And that is one of the biggest American tragedies in recent history.

I did not lose anyone on 9/11, but I almost did. Learning the news of the attacks that morning from a classmate, I thought of the recent trip I took with my father to his office on the 86th floor of the South tower. His office had a great view which included the North tower. I then thought of how I watched the blinds on his window sway when there was a strong wind and hearing him say, don't worry, it's made to do that so that the building doesn't fall. But what about in the event of a plane crashing into that or a nearby window? What could withstand that?

There was only a period of five minutes between when my 3rd period teacher confirmed that a plane had struck the WTC and the time I got on the phone with my mom. But in that time, the heels of my black sandals smacking the floors of my high school hallways, I though of what would had to have been the inevitable- my father did not survive. Who could survive a plane crashing into their office building? If the plane hit below his floor, it would collapse, if above- it would tumble. My next though was not being given away at my wedding. After that, I thought that we'd have to move and my mother would have to get a full time job to support us. These were not thoughts of hope, because I thought there wasn't any.

As soon as I called my mom she said he was fine and that he had gotten out. But, we later found out, she had her story wrong.

My dad saw, from his wonderful office view, the plane hit the first building and flames wrap around it. He went down several flights of stairs and called my mom from one of the offices to call and say he was fine, knowing she'd see something on the news. After hanging up, the plane then hit the building he was in, shaking the wall of the staircases he ran down.

There are more details to this story, but the most important one is that he walked in our front door a few hours later with ash in his hair and on the shoulders of his suit.

There is a moment in every kids life, I'm assuming, where they come to the unfortunate realization that their parents are not superheroes. Hearing my dad tell the story of his day while holding a Scotch in his hand and a quiver in his voice- that was my moment.

I'm the only one I know of, to this day, that knew someone who was in the attacked building and came home to tell the story. But as someone who almost lost someone and had to think of that every time after that he went to work, a business trip or even a drive around the corner, what category do I belong in? I didn't lose someone, but the though of what might have happened will never go away. That day was at the same time the best and worst day of my life because I don't take a day or person for granted anymore. A lesson that usually comes with the loss of a loved one came to me when mine came through our front door.

So has it been long enough? Should the ceremonies stop? Is saying the names of everyone too much? Do we really need those four moments of silence each year? That is something that should be left to the families to decide. Because no matter what happens to these observances, we will all think of that day, on this day, every year- whether it be public or private, we will never be able to forget.

Study, Study

A recent poll found that one in four Americans did not read one book last year. Let me repeat that. 25% of American's didn't read a single book. I couldn't believe this statistic. If you are one of these people, you should be ashamed of yourself. However, the poll also cited that the majority of the people that did not read one book are lower income citizens that have to work all the time and therefore do not have time. But I doubt those people are reading this blog right now, so if you are one of those who didn't read any books, you should be ashamed of yourself.

I've never understood people who didn't like to read. What's not to like about it? It brings you to a whole other place where you can actually learn something and improve your vocabulary. Reading makes you smarter. Well, if the books are well written. There are a few that can make you stupid. Like Sophie Kinsella novels.

There was also another study done that proves that men prefer hot women. I can't believe they actually paid a group of people to study something that everyone who has ever been to a bar/gone to high school/attended a college party/has eyes already knows. They observed men and women in a speed dating type situation, after asking them what qualities they look for in a partner. They made their decision not on the qualities they stated, but by the attractiveness of the opposite sex. Really, what else could you decide on when you only meet a person for three minutes? Women in this study tended to choose men who were about equally attractive as they were, taking their own attractiveness into account when making their decision. So apparently, the woman's attractiveness was important on both sides.

Although women only chose men equally and not less attractive as they are, men weren't very picky. My favorite line in the article is, "The men also appeared to be much less choosy. Men tended to select nearly every woman above a certain minimum attractiveness threshold." So then really, aren't women the one's who prefer hot men if men will choose anyone over a "minimum attractiveness threshold"? I think so.